得

An associative compound:

彳 (“step, action”) — semantic element, indicating movement or action.

貝 (“shell, money”) — semantic element, symbolizing valuables.

寸 (“hand, measure”) — semantic element, symbolizing the hand’s action of grasping.

Together: “to get valuables into one’s hand” → to obtain, to gain.

Oracle bone and bronze inscriptions: depict a hand grasping a shell (貝), later with 彳 added to stress action.

Shuowen Jiezi: records the 彳 + 貝 + 寸 form as the standard, and the simpler “hand + shell” as guwen (ancient form).

Stabilized in clerical script (隸書 lìshū) into the modern form.

取得 (취득) — to acquire, to obtain

獲得 (획득) — to gain, to win

得意 (득의) — to be pleased, proud of success

心得 (심득) — what one has learned; gained understanding

所得 (소득) — income, earnings

得病 (득병) — to contract a disease

不得不 (부득불) — cannot avoid, have no choice but to

In Classical Chinese, 得 not only meant “to obtain” but also developed into a grammatical auxiliary:

能得 (can obtain), later simplified to 得 (can).

Positive connotations (“to gain, to achieve”) made 得 a popular name character in Korea in past centuries (esp. in male names).

Example: names ending with “득” (e.g., 광득, 성득).

In modern times, such usage has declined and is considered old-fashioned.

Symbolically, 得 represents achievement, possession, realization — and by extension, success and fulfillment.